Oxygen while waiting for your equipment: Good idea?

RosemaryB · Post by **RosemaryB** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 10:54 pm

I just posted this on another thread, but thought I should report it separately, too. Someone I know was tested for OSA. After the first test results, the GP prescribed her night time oxygen while she was waiting to get the titration, sleep doctor write up, DME appointment, etc. She says that even the oxygen is making a difference in how she feels.

I thought: What a great GP! Since people have to wait so long for everything after this first sleep test, why not prescribe oxygen while they are waiting. If they have significant desats, it only seems to make sense.

I suspect the way to do this would be to ask your GP, when you are being referred for a sleep study, if he or she will do this for you if you have low desats. Then the script just needs to be faxed and they will set up up.

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): Titration, DME

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 11:16 pm

sounds like a good idea if they were dropping dangerously low, not good for the heart.

RosemaryB · Post by **RosemaryB** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 11:22 pm

Snoredog wrote:sounds like a good idea if they were dropping dangerously low, not good for the heart.

Good to know that. Thanks for the input. So, not such a good idea unless they are dropping dangerously low.

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 2:22 am

you have to weigh the good from the bad, can't see it doing any harm.

SaO2 scale: >89%=(none); 85-89%=(mild);80-84%=(moderate); <80% (severe).

If they were dropping below <80% doctor may be concerned if there is any hint of a heart condition.

StillAnotherGuest · Post by **StillAnotherGuest** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 5:53 am

For OSA, not a good idea, especially if therapy is done arbitrarily and unmonitored. It'll probably make the REM apneas worse.

CSA might be another matter.
SAG

Pam · Post by **Pam** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 8:32 am

Hi, question on this: Why isn't it good for the heart???

Thanks
Pam

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 8:56 am

[quote="StillAnotherGuest"]For OSA, not a good idea, especially if therapy is done arbitrarily and unmonitored. It'll probably make the REM apneas worse.

CSA might be another matter.
SAG

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 10:43 am

With the cost of playing the O2 game, why not fast track the XPAP treatment. No reason in the world, you couldn't start treatment the same day, even if with a temp unit. I did start with the O2 first, then added CPAP to it, but I was being treated for other things than Apnea. Jim

RosemaryB · Post by **RosemaryB** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 11:08 am

I talked to her and she thinks her O2 levels were in the severe range, so that's why. She has an appt next Wed to get her equipment. She's also on BP meds.

Why not get it right away? This makes sense. But the cpap delivery system is not set up to make sense . As we all know, it's set up to make money.

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): CPAP

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 12:25 pm

That would be a question for a Dr. I know a couple of people that us a CPAP combined with oxygen but they have OSA pluse other complications. My O2 levels are fine with CPAP so I haven;t raised the issue with my Dr.

Hurricane · Post by **Hurricane** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 12:35 pm

Your sleep study should have determined whether your oxygen levels were down while sleeping, and that should have been the factor whether needed or not. My levels in the daytime were normal but sleeping were below normal range so Dr added 02 to cpap, I did have to put the concentrator in a different room because of noise it makes, drilled a hole thru the wall a 20 ft hose and don't even know its on.
Ed

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 12:58 pm

Hurricane wrote:Your sleep study should have determined whether your oxygen levels were down while sleeping, and that should have been the factor whether needed or not. My levels in the daytime were normal but sleeping were below normal range so Dr added 02 to cpap, I did have to put the concentrator in a different room because of noise it makes, drilled a hole thru the wall a 20 ft hose and don't even know its on.

Ed, have you asked your doctor to have your DME do an overnight recording pulse oximeter test on you, at your home while using your cpap?

Reason I ask... Margie (the lady in town whom I help with her cpap stuff) was prescribed 2L supplemental O2 based on her sleep study. It was a two night study, baseline PSG the first night. Her SpO2 dropped down into the low 40's! They put her on O2 right then and there, during the first night study.

I don't know if the had her still using O2 during her separate titration night. It was like pulling hen's teeth to get any reports from her two night study and she never got the second night report.

Like you, her O2 sats while awake are fine.

Anyway, after three months of using cpap with the supplemental O2 hooked into her cpap circuit, I finally (again, like pulling hen's teeth!) got her doctor to order an overnight recording pulse oxi test. To be done while she used cpap and no supplemental O2. Her sleeping O2 stayed up in the mid 90's all night...with cpap only.

She turned in the concentrator and has been doing great with just cpap.

That might not be the case for you, but I'd sure want to see. As I understand it, a DME will do one night of a recording pulse oximeter free if the doctor requests it. It was a free test for Margie.

Pennies really count for her, and she's now out from under the monthly co-pays she was paying for unnecessary night time supplemental O2. All she needed was that her throat stay open, and she could get plenty of O2 on her own. Never occurred to the doctor to check that.

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 1:17 pm

Good point, RG! I ran into an opposite situation that still bolsters the use of an overnight oximeter test when on CPAP if you had significant desats. My sleep pulmo was confident based on my titration that CPAP alone would be sufficient for me desats. When I was still having problems 3 months after starting CPAP I pushed a bit for an overnight oximetry. Turns out I did end up needing 2L of 02 supplementing my CPAP. That wouldn't be the case for everyone, of course, But ... if one has significant desats it isn't a bad idea to have an overnight oximetry run whilst on CPAP w/room air and/or CPAP and 02 supplementation.

Hurricane · Post by **Hurricane** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 2:19 pm

Rested Gal,
You are so right on about another over nite 02 test, probably the only reason I have never did that was being my insurance covers it all, and being I don't travel that often, if I do I would more than likely omit the 02 at that time. And as Slinky also mentions no harm in knowing what the current situation is with this treatment. really should take action.
Ed

RosemaryB · Post by **RosemaryB** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 7:00 pm

Thanks for all the good information about O2. Very educational. RG, I'm trying to help her get the complete sleep studies. You are right, it's like pulling hen's teeth . She did get a copy of her script, though.

Oxygen while waiting for your equipment: Good idea?

Oxygen while waiting for your equipment: Good idea?

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